Landing and running tool assembly

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed a landing tool for landing apparatus in a well at a selected location. An expander expands lugs into a groove in the tubing wall to position the landing tool and at the same time releases lugs which are securing a running tool to the landing tool. The running tool illustrated has locator dogs which while the tool is being run can retract into an out of the way position. Upon reverse movement of the running tool in the well these dogs are prevented from retracting until at a predetermined load a snap ring detent is overcome and thereafter movement of the running tool in the well in the original direction will result in the running tool being arrested upon engaging the first shoulder in the tubing. Continued movement in such direction of the running assembly moves a pusher into engagement with the expander on the landing tool to latch the landing tool in the well and release the running tool from the landing tool. Also shown is a pulling tool having a collet which can be run into the landing tool and engage an internal shoulder therein. Subsequent upward pull on the pulling tool will release the landing tool from the well tubing and witndraw it from the well.

United States Patent [1?] Yonker LANDING AND RUNNING TOOL ASSEMBLY JohnH. Yonker, Dallas, Tex.

[73] Assignee: Otis Engineering Corporation, Dallas, Tex.

22 Filed: 0a. 10, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 405,084

[75] inventor:

Primary Examiner-James A. Leppink [57] ABSTRACT There is disclosed alanding tool for landing apparatus Feb. 4, 1975 in a well at a selectedlocation. An expander expands lugs into a groove in the tubing wall toposition the landing tool and at the same time releases lugs which aresecuring a running tool to the landing tool. The running toolillustrated has locator dogs which while the tool is being run canretract into an out of the way position. Upon reverse movement of therunning tool in the well these dogs are prevented from retracting untilat a predetermined load a snap ring detent is overcome and thereaftermovement of the running tool in the well in the original direction willresult in the running tool being arrested upon engaging the firstshoulder in the tubing. Continued movement in such direction of therunning assembly moves a pusher into engagement with the expander on thelanding tool to latch the landing tool in the well and release therunning tool from the landing too]. Also shown is a pulling tool havinga collet which can be run into the landing tool and engage an internalshoulder therein. Subsequent upward pull on the pulling tool willrelease the landing tool from the well tubing and witndraw it from thewell.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED EB M915 SHEET 30F a LANDING ANDRUNNING TOOL ASSEMBLY This invention relates to well tools and moreparticularly to a landingand running tool assembly for positioning thelanding tool in the well. In one aspect the invention relates to a novellanding tool for landing equipment in a well.

Anchoring tools are conventionally used to anchor pieces of equipment ina well. These tools are commonly run by a variety of running tools andare removed from the well bya variety of pulling tools. For instance,see the patents to A. W. Carroll U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,723, Joseph L.Pearce, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 3,646,996, and P. S. Sizer U.S. Pat. No. 3,41l,584. While landing tools such as those shown in the above patents havebeen utilized for many years as an acceptable system of positioningtools in a well problems are sometimes encountered which results in thelanding tool being released in a tubing at a position other thanopposite a landing groove. This problem has become more accute with theadvent of pump down equipment and the high pressurefluid utilized tomove such equipment. For instance, if a tight place in the tubing isencountered by a string of tools, this may be read at the surface asbottomingof the tool on a landing shoulder. The tool may then bemanipulated according to its design to go through the landing steps andthe running tool then released from the landing tool. Even if theoperator realizes that the tool is notin proper position to be landed,if the tool becomes stuck in the well the operator is limited in theamount of force he can apply in attempting to withdraw the tool withoutexceeding the forces normally required to release the running tool fromthe landing tool. When this occurs, the running tool will be releasedand an extra trip will be required to withdraw the tool from the holefor redressing.

It is an object of this invention to provide a running and landing toolassembly in which the tools may only be disassembled when the anchoringtool is opposite an anchoring groove in the welltubing.

Another object is to provide a landing 'tool in which an expander sleeveis shifted between two positions, one of which locks the tool to arunning tool and the other of which releases the running tool and locksthe landing tool inthe well.

Another object is to provide a landing tool in which an associatedrunning too] is secured by latching dogs carried in the landing tool andin which the landing tool cannot release the running tool unless thelanding tool is properly positioned opposite a landing groove in a welltubing.

Another object is to provide a landing tool in which an expander sleeveis shifted between two positions, one of which locks the tool to arunning tool and the other of which releases the running tool and locksthe landing tool in the well, with the parts so arranged that theexpander sleeve cannot be shifted to release'position unless the landingtool is opposite a landing groove in the well tubing.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the drawing, the specification and the claims.

In the drawings within like reference numerals indicate like parts andwherein an illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown;

FIGS. 1A and 1B are continuation figures showing a well tubing in crosssection and a landing tool carrying a standing valve with the tool andvalve shown partly in elevetion and partly in quarter section;

FIG. 2 is a view of a tubing in cross section and a running tool securedto the upper end of the landing tool of FIGS. IA and 1B with the partsshown partly in elevation and partly inquarter section illustrating theassembly in a position to land the landing tool in the well;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 2'showing the landing toolto have been landed and latched in the well and the running tool to havebeen released therefrom and ready for removal from the well;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary quarter sectional view of the upper section ofthe landing tool and a pulling tool for removing the landing tool fromthe well; and

FIG. 5 is a quarter sectional view similar to FIG. 4 showing the landingtool to have been released from the well and ready for removaltherefrom.

Referring first to FIGS. 1A and IB, the landing tool indicated generallyat 10 is landed in a mandrel II which is part of a tubing string, notshown. The landing tool 10 carries a seal assembly 12 which in turnsupports a standing valve indicated generally at 13. The standing valve13 is only one of a large number of tools utilized in wells which couldbe landed in place by the use of a landing tool of this invention.

The mandrel 11 is especially designed to receive a landing tool and forthis purpose has an internal landing groove 14 with which the landingtool cooperates to latch the tool in position within the mandrel. Themandrel also has an upwardly facing shoulder 15 and a downwardly facingshoulder 16 for cooperation with the running tool in positioning thelanding tool within the mandrel in a manner to be explained hereinbelow.

The anchoring tool includes a body 17 to which the seal assembly 12 isattached as by the ball joint indicated generally at 18. It will benoted that throughout the assembly ball joints are utilized to permitthe assembly to articulate and freely negotiate bends in the tubing asis desirable in pump down equipment. It will be understood that wherethe system is used with wire line equipment these articulating jointsmay be dispensed with if desired.

External lug means are carried by the body and are adapted to beextended into the latching groove 14 in the mandrel to lock theanchoring tool in place in the mandrel. Preferably the lug means isprovided by a plurality of lugs 19 carried in suitable slots in body 17.When these lugs are retracted the anchoring tool is free to move withinthe mandrel. When the lugs are extended into groove 14 the landing toolis latched against movement in either direction within the mandrel.

In order to latch the landing tool to a running tool such as indicatedat 21 in FIGS. 2 and 3 internal lug means are provided which whenextended extend above a shoulder provided by the ball indicatedgenerally at 22 (FIG. 3) and prevent separation of the run ning toolshown in FIGS. 2 and 3 from the landing tool so long as the lug means isextended.

In the preferred form of the invention, the lug means is provided by acollet 23 having a plurality of upwardly extending collet fingers 24.The fingers 24 each have at their upper end arcuate sections 25 whichtogether form a socket. When the ball 22 is within the socket 25 and thesocket is extended inwardly to snugly receive the ball the running toolcannot be disassociated from the landing tool.

An expander means is provided which in its running position holds thecollet fingers extended inwardly to closely surround the balls andprevent the two tools from being disassociated. In this position of theexpander means the external lugs 19 are free to retract. In the landedposition of the expander means the lugs 19 are extended and the colletlugs are permitted to retract to free the ball 22 of the running tooland permit the disassociation of the two tools. Preferably the colletfingers 25 are resilient and are retracted in their unbiased position asshown in FIG. 1A. In the preferred form, the expander means is providedby a sleeve 26 which is movable in a reciprocal fashion within the body17. The expander means carries a pin 27 which reciprocates within theclosed slot 28 and limits the extent of longitudinal travel of theexpander 26 relative to the body 17.

In order to expand and permit the external lugs 19 to retract, theexpander means 26 has thereon a land 29 and a groove 31 which cooperatewith the lugs 19 to permit their expansion and contraction. With theexpander means in landing position as shown in FIG. 1A the land 29 isbehind the lugs 19 and holding them in expanded position to lock thelanding tool in the well. When the expander means is moved to itsrunning or upper position the groove 31 is behind the lugs 19 permittingthem to retract as shown in FIG. 2.

The expander 26 is provided with land means 32 and 33 for holding thecollet fingers in extended position. The expander 26 is also providedwith groove means in the form of surfaces 34, 35 and 36 which permit thecollet fingers 25 to retract and release the ball 22. As shown in thedrawings the exterior surface of the collet fingers 25 are formed withsurfaces which generally mate with the land and groove surfaces on theinterior of the expander 26 when the expander is in its upper or landedposition as shown in FIG. 1A.

From a comparison of FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be noted that when theexpander means is in its upper or running position the external groovemeans 31 cooperates with the external lug means 19 permitting them toretract and the internal land means provided by lands 32 and 33cooperate with and extend the internal lugs or collet fingers 25inwardly. When the expander means is in its anchoring position, theexternal land 29 cooperates with and extends the external lug means 19and the internal grooves 34, 35 and 36 cooperate with and permit theinternal lugs or collet fingers to retract. This alternating latch andrelease prevents premature disengagement of the running and landingtools because the lug means 19 cannot expand to permit the expandermeans 26 to move downwardly unless the lugs are opposite a suitablelanding groove such as groove 14. As in the absence of such a groove theexpander cannot move downwardly, the internal lugs cannot retract andrelease the ball 22. Thus, the running tool cannot be separated from thelanding tool except in those areas of the tubing where the landing toolcan be latched in position in a groove such as the mandrel groove 14.

The landing tool may be run with any suitable running tool having ashoulder which will cooperate with the internal lugs of the landing toolto prevent the two tools from being disassociated until the expandermeans is in the landing position. The running tool may take manydifferent forms. In FIGS. 2 and 3 a preferred form of running tool isshown.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the preferred form of running tool is shownat 21. The tool includes a central stem 37 to which the locator sectionof the tool indicated generally at 38 is pinned by the shear pin 39.

In order to move the expander means 26 of the landing tool downwardlyfrom the running to the landing position, the shaft 37 is provided witha plurality of fingers 41 which radiate outwardly from the shaft at thebottom of the running tool in a position to overlie the upper end of theexpander means 26. Thus, when downward movement of the locator section38 of the running tool is arrested as shown in FIG. 2, further downwardmovement of the shaft 37 shears pin 39 and moves the fingers 41downwardly to move the expander means 26 of the running tool to thedownward position shown in FIG. 3 to thus release the running tool fromthe landing tool. This downward movement may be assisted if desired bythe spring 42.

The locating section of the running tool includes an expander section 43and a lug carrier 44 movable therealong and having a plurality of lugs45.

In order to provide for upward movement of the lug carrier 44 andretraction of the lugs 45 into the groove section 46 during running ofthe tool and to prevent such action during the landing manipulations ofthe tool a snap ring 47 cooperates with a shoulder 48 on the lugcarrier. When the lug carrier is above the snap ring as is the caseduring running of the tool the lower end 49 of the lug carrier 44 buttsagainst the snap ring 47 and prevents further downward movement of thelug carrier under the force of spring 51. The lugs 45 are normally heldin expanded position by the land 52 on the expander 43 but as the lugs45 engage the shoulder within the tubing the lug carrier rides upagainst the force of spring 51 and permits the lugs 45 to retract intothe groove section 46.

When the running tool reaches a depth in the well at which it is desiredto set the landing tool, the direction of movement of the running toolis reversed. Thus, if the movement is downwardly in the attitude of thetools shown in FIG. 2 an upward movement would be imparted to the toolsafter they reach the setting depth plus a few additional feet to movethe lug 45 past shoulder 16. When the tool is moving upwardly and thelugs 45 engage shoulder 16, the force thus exerted on the lug carrier 44will contract the snap ring 47 and permit the lug carrier to move intothe position shown in FIG. 2. In this position, the tool may be runupwardly and the lug carrier 44 will move downwardly when a shoulder isencountered to a position opposite the groove 54 to permit the tool tocontinue movement in the hole. With the lug carrier in the positionshown in FIG. 2 however, downward movement of the running tool will bearrested the first time the lugs 45 engage a shoulder in the well asshown in FIG. 2. Thus, after the tool has been raised to engage ashoulder such as shoulder 16 and move the lug carrier 44 down below thesnap ring 47, the tool is again reversed in its direction of movement toa downward direction as shown in FIG. 2 in which the lugs 45 engage theshoulder 15 in the well. Further downward movement of the running toolcarrier 55 results in shearing of pin 39 and downward movement offingers 41 and consequent movement of the landing tool expander ring 26from its running position shown in FIG. 2 to its landing position shownin FIG. 3. At this time the ball 22 which is carried on a segmentedannular collet type rod indicated generally at 56 and carried by thelocator assembly 38 is released from the landing tool and the runningtool may be withdrawn from the well. During withdrawal engagement of thelocator lugs 45 with any shoulder in the well will cause downwardmovement of the lug carrier 44 to a point in which the lugs 45 overliethe groove 44 to permit a passage of the lugs past the shoulder.

When it is desired to remove the landing tool any desired form ofpulling tool may be utilized. A preferred form is shown in FIGS. 4 and5. The pulling shoulder on the landing tool may be internal suchasshoulder 57 and the pulling tool may. have an external collet indicatedgenerally at 58 for engagement with shoulder 57 to pull the tool. In thepulling tool illustrated, the pulling tool collet 58 is carried by thepulling tool body 59. Internal of the body 59 is a central rod 61 whichis attached to the pulling line or pulling motor. The spring 62 urgesthe pulling rod and its associated stop sleeve 63 upwardly to theposition shown in FIG. 5. As the pulling tool is moved downwardly intoengagement with the landing tool the collet 58 strikes the upper end ofthe expander means 26 and its movement is arrested. Further downwardmovement of the internal rod 61 against the force of spring 62 will movethe expander knob 64 from behind the collet 58 and permit the collet toretract into the reduced diameter section 65 of the rod assembly 61.This action permits the collet to pass the shoulder 66 and enter intothe upper end of the landing tool. At this time the spring 62 returnsthe assembly to the relationship illustrated in FIG. 5 and upwardmovement of the pulling tool will move the expander sleeve 26 to itsupper or running position to release the dogs 19 and permit the landingtool to be withdrawn from the well. It might be noted that it ispreferred to provide a wiper rubber 67 at the upper end of the expandermeans 26 to prevent sand or other objects from interfering with thenormal action of the anchoring tool.

If for any reason the anchoring tool cannot be withdrawn from the wellor become stuck while being withdrawn, the pulling tool may be releasedfrom the anchoring tool by exerting a sufficient force to shear pin 68which will permit the expander 64 to move above the lower. enlarged endsof the collet fingers thus permitting them to retract and be withdrawnfrom the an choring tool.

The running tool is also provided with safety provisions to permit it tobe detached from the landing tool in the event the landing tool becomesstuck within the well. Theball 22 is held against contracting by thestem 37 (FIG. 3). If however the landing tool becomes stuck in the wella sufficient force may be applied to the running tool to shear the ball22 from the running tool at the shear groove 69. The strength of sheargroove 69 would normally be substantial and would not fail during normaloperation of the tool.

In the FIG. 4 form of the landing tool, it will be noted that the bodyis provided with a downwardly facing shoulder 71 which engages anupwardly facing shoulder 72 of the mandrel. This form of body isutilized when it is desired to run the tool into a nonselective mandrelassembly in which the tool can be landed in only one mandrel which hasthe shoulder 72. This contrast with the form of tool shown in FIG. 2which has no such shoulder and may be selectively landed in any of anumber of mandrels'.

When the nonselective landing tool is utilized, the locating lugassembly of the running tool need not be utilized and would preferablybe stripped from the running tool together with its associated springs42 and 51 as these parts are not needed in running the tool into anonselective well.

From the above it will be seen that all of the objects of this inventionhave been attained. The landing tool cannot be released from the runningtool during normal operation unless the tool is positioned with itslanding lug opposite an appropriate groove in a landing mandrel. Thus,accidental or unintentional release of the landing tool is impossible.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention areillustrative and expanatory thereof and various changes in the size,shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustratedconstruction, may be made within the scope of the appended claimswithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

I. An anchoring tool comprising,

an elongate body,

external lug means carried by the body and adapted to be extended into alatching groove in a mandrel, internal lug means carried by the bodyadapted to be extended above a shoulder on a running tool,

said body holding said internal lug means against movement along saidelongate body relative to said external lug means while permitting saidinternal lug means to move laterally of the elongate body, expandermeans having external land means and groove means cooperable with theexternal lug means and internal land means and groove means cooperablewith the internal lug means,

said expander means movable between a running position in which theexternal groove means cooperates with the external lug means permittingthem to retract and the internal land means cooperates with and extendsthe internal lug means and an anchoring position in which the externalland means cooperates with and extends the external lug means and theinternal groove means cooperates with and permits the internal lug meansto retract.

2. The tool of claim 1 including means for securing a well tool to theanchoring tool.

3. The tool of claim 1 in combination with a running tool having ashoulder cooperable with said internal lug means for latching therunning and anchoring tools together when the expander means is inrunning position.

4. The tool of claim 1 in combination with means for limiting movementof the running and anchoring tools in one direction to position thetools at a selected position in a well while the expander means isshifted to release the tools from each other.

5. An anchoring tool comprising,

a body,

external lug means carried by the body and adapted to be extended into alatching groove in a mandrel, collet means including collet fingers onthe body having a socket at the free end of the collet fingers adaptedto receive a ball of a running too],

and expander means having external lands means and groove meanscooperable with the external lug means and internal land means andgroove means cooperable with the collet means,

said expander means movable between a running position in which theexternal groove means cooperates with the external lug means permittingthem to retract and the internal land means cooperates with and extendsthe collet fingers and an anchoring position in which the external landmeans cooperates with and extends the external lug means and theinternal groove means cooperates with and permits the collet fingers toretract.

6. The tool of claim in combination with a running tool having,

ball means cooperable with said collet for latching the running andanchoring tools together when the expander means is in running position,and

means for shifting the expander means to anchoring position to releasethe running tool from the anchoring tool,

and further in combination with means on one of said running, anchoringtools for limiting movement of the running and anchoring tools in onedirection to position the tools at a selected position in a well whilethe expander means is shifted to release the tools from each other.

7. An anchoring tool comprising,

a body,

external lug means carried by the body and adapted to be extended into alatching groove in a mandrel,

internal socket means carried by the body adapted to be extended about aball on a running tool,

expander means having external land means and groove means cooperablewith the external lug means,

said expander means having internal land means and groove meanscooperable with the internal socket means.

said expander means movable between a running poa running tool having aball cooperable with said internal socket means for latching the runningand anchoring tools together when the expander means is in runningposition, and

means for shifting the expander means to anchoring position to releasethe running tool from the anchoring tool.

1. An aNchoring tool comprising, an elongate body, external lug meanscarried by the body and adapted to be extended into a latching groove ina mandrel, internal lug means carried by the body adapted to be extendedabove a shoulder on a running tool, said body holding said internal lugmeans against movement along said elongate body relative to saidexternal lug means while permitting said internal lug means to movelaterally of the elongate body, expander means having external landmeans and groove means cooperable with the external lug means andinternal land means and groove means cooperable with the internal lugmeans, said expander means movable between a running position in whichthe external groove means cooperates with the external lug meanspermitting them to retract and the internal land means cooperates withand extends the internal lug means and an anchoring position in whichthe external land means cooperates with and extends the external lugmeans and the internal groove means cooperates with and permits theinternal lug means to retract.
 2. The tool of claim 1 including meansfor securing a well tool to the anchoring tool.
 3. The tool of claim 1in combination with a running tool having a shoulder cooperable withsaid internal lug means for latching the running and anchoring toolstogether when the expander means is in running position.
 4. The tool ofclaim 1 in combination with means for limiting movement of the runningand anchoring tools in one direction to position the tools at a selectedposition in a well while the expander means is shifted to release thetools from each other.
 5. An anchoring tool comprising, a body, externallug means carried by the body and adapted to be extended into a latchinggroove in a mandrel, collet means including collet fingers on the bodyhaving a socket at the free end of the collet fingers adapted to receivea ball of a running tool, and expander means having external lands meansand groove means cooperable with the external lug means and internalland means and groove means cooperable with the collet means, saidexpander means movable between a running position in which the externalgroove means cooperates with the external lug means permitting them toretract and the internal land means cooperates with and extends thecollet fingers and an anchoring position in which the external landmeans cooperates with and extends the external lug means and theinternal groove means cooperates with and permits the collet fingers toretract.
 6. The tool of claim 5 in combination with a running toolhaving, ball means cooperable with said collet for latching the runningand anchoring tools together when the expander means is in runningposition, and means for shifting the expander means to anchoringposition to release the running tool from the anchoring tool, andfurther in combination with means on one of said running, anchoringtools for limiting movement of the running and anchoring tools in onedirection to position the tools at a selected position in a well whilethe expander means is shifted to release the tools from each other. 7.An anchoring tool comprising, a body, external lug means carried by thebody and adapted to be extended into a latching groove in a mandrel,internal socket means carried by the body adapted to be extended about aball on a running tool, expander means having external land means andgroove means cooperable with the external lug means, said expander meanshaving internal land means and groove means cooperable with the internalsocket means, said expander means movable between a running position inwhich the external groove means cooperates with the external lug meanspermitting them to retract and the internal land means cooperates withand extends the internal socket means and an anchoring position in whichthe external land means cooperates with and extends the external lugmeans And the internal groove means cooperates with and permits theinternal socket means to retract, a running tool having a ballcooperable with said internal socket means for latching the running andanchoring tools together when the expander means is in running position,and means for shifting the expander means to anchoring position torelease the running tool from the anchoring tool.